In This Gilded Cage I Fade (Set Me Free)
by bucky-is-done-with-this-shit
Summary: Howard never knew about Maria's secret. She knew that if he ever learned what she was… well she wasn't sure what would happen. But she was sure it wouldn't be good. Especially now that she was pregnant. Children of her kind always had the gift. Except in this instance it was more of a curse than a gift.


Title: In This Gilded Cage I Fade (Set Me Free).

Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Main Pairing: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark/James "Bucky" Barnes.

Side Pairings: Maria Stark nee Carbonell/Howard Stark (So far. I'll add more later).

Warnings: none but I'm sure there will be soon.

Word Count: 1.6k

Tags: tony-centric, Maria Carbonell nee Stark takes no shit and no prisoners, Howard is a ass, but what else is new, fluffy feels, pups, motherly instincts, touch Maria's baby and die, no seriously she'll kill you, animal shifters, Maria and tony are otters, because of reasons, don't judge me.

AN: I thought of this on a birthday trip to Monterey Bay Aquarium and it's been swimming around in my head since (pun intended). I fell absolutely in love with the sea otters and they really reminded me of tony. They are just so smart, and creative, and playful. They use tools and figure out inventive ways to get what they want and keep themselves meticulously groomed just like Tony's beard. So I made this story! Hope you like!

Chapter 1: A Son Is Born.

"No one else will ever know the strength of my love for you. After all, you are the only one who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside." - Kristen Proby.

...

Howard never knew about Maria's secret. She knew that if he ever learned what she was... well she wasn't sure what would happen. But she was sure it wouldn't be good. Especially now that she was pregnant. Children of her kind always had the gift. Except in this instance it was more of a curse than a gift.

Her little _bambino_ (she was sure her child was a boy. Mothers intuition she guessed) was going to have a hard life, she knew. History had not been exactly generous to her kind, but he would be strong. He had to be to survive. Strong and brave and kinder than anyone else in the world. He was going to be more precious than any jewel and just as treasured.

But she feared. She feared this century, where nothing was sacred in the name of science and power. Where nature was dying and no one cared for one another. It was times like this that Maria wished she could dive into the ocean and never look back; surely it would be safer for her and her pup. The fur trade that once plagued her species was outlawed in most places around the world and natural predators would be easier to evade then what she would face on shore. But Maria knew she couldn't do that no matter how much she wanted to. Because what she feared most of all was Howard. Don't get her wrong, she loved the man. But he was not a kind person. He was harsh and cold and at times cruel. But she cared for him even if she did not when she first became bound to him.

The first time Howard explored the coastline connected to the sprawling gardens of his new mansion in California, he found something unexpected. A pelt of fur thicker than anything he had ever see before and softer than silk. The strands a dark mocha that faded into a platinum blonde at the top. Howard was not the type of man that was sentimental but something about the pelt made him incapable of leaving it where he found it. Later that night he met the woman he would one day marry. Unknown to him, the moment his fingertips brushed the fur for the first time, he bound a myth older than time to him for life.

Before man walked the earth, there were animals first. Among the animals something came into being. Animals were born with a peculiarity. An anomaly. Intelligence with a hint of something extraordinary. Something resembling magic. A gift so to speak. To better themselves they evolved and adapted to the changing times. When man was born, new problems arose. In order to survive, these gifted animals altered themselves and took the form of man. They shed their pelts and were able to walk among man unnoticed. But with this ability came dire consequences. Unsuspecting, they left their pelts unguarded and vulnerable. Hunters of the human tribes found them and when their fingers touched the furs, the gifted were chained and bound. Frantic, they tried everything to free themselves but they did not succeed until one gifted, in an act of desperation, killed the hunter they were bound to. In the end, the gifted discovered the only way to break the bond and free themselves was to either pass away or kill the being who first touched the pelt. Horrified by this realization, the gifted hid their pelts where no one would find them and concealed their true nature. Hidden among men, myths of their kind bloomed into existence. Stories of mermaids and selkies and werewolves surfaced throughout history. As time went on, disbelief and skepticism clouded mans judgement of the supernatural. But with modern thinking came new dangers.

Men of science were born. Men who were majorly composed of cynical and amoral people with little true humanity. Men who had no problem experimenting on anything that interested or baffled them. Greedy for power, money, and fame. With these experiments, man created people like Captain America and the Red Skull. Men like Howard.

So yes, Maria was afraid for her _tesoro_. Growing up was hard when she was just a pup, and decades later it was even more dangerous. When she was still a Carbonell, she knew many gifted who disappeared without a trace. The little girl who was her friend when she first started school. Her neighbors down the street. The sweet little old lady who smelled of rosemary and lemons who sold fruit and vegetables from her garden. Supposedly no one knows where they disappeared, but she heard the whispers from other gifted; including her parents. Fur and slave traders, as well as scientists who willingly pay thugs to kidnap unwilling gifted. As a young girl, she was cautioned about showing her true self and was limited about where and when she could shed her pelt and slip into the ocean where she felt most at home. Maria would spend hours diving for food and then float on her back grooming herself. As far as she knew, Maria and her mama and papa were the only sea otters in Italy. She had never met another of her species, but she read that most of her kind resided in California and Alaska. Unfortunately on one of her trips she had almost been captured. That is to say almost. A man with striking wintry blue eyes and a metal arm had saved her life that day and Maria didn't think she could ever forget him and his empty eyes.

Maria rested her hand on her extended stomach and smiled when she felt her baby shift under her gentle fingers. She was close to her due date and even with her anxiety, she was beyond excited to see her pup for the first time. She had been pregnant seven months already but had lied to Howard and said that she was already at ten months. Her species were pregnant about six to eight months, but Howard didn't need to know that. There had been a few complications but the doctor (who was a particularly handsome specimen of hare. What? She was married, not blind!) said that both her and her baby were in perfect health.

Maria looked around, wondering if her husband would be home soon and hoping he would. Even if she was unwilling at first to stay bound to a man like Howard, she grew to love him and all his faults. She let out a snort. Ok not all his faults, she reminded herself. Howard's habit of drinking at all times of the day was something she absolutely despised. So When Howard was away she would grab about a third of his stash and pour it down the drain. She was pretty sure Howard knew what she was doing, but he knew better than to comment. Howard may wear the pants, but Maria was no pushover and fierce when trifled with.

Puttering around the kitchen, Maria grabbed a mug from the cabinet and poured hot steaming water over the tea bag. Adding just a dash of honey, Maria smiled as she breathed in the smell of jasmine. It was her mothers favorite. The smell reminded her of when she was a young pup and her mother would gather her onto her lap and sing songs in her native tongue. Her mother would rock them slowly to the beat and gently run her fingers through Maria's dark hair. That same hair was now a platinum blonde. Fading with her age; a sign of her true self.

Just as she was about to take a sip a piercing pain stabbed her stomach and she felt fluid drip from between her legs. The mug slipped from nerveless fingers and shattered against the floor. Maria grabbed the counter beside her to stop herself from joining the shards on the ground.

Jarvis who was dusting the shelves in a study a few rooms down (he liked to stay close to Maria just in case), came crashing through the doorway and quickly moved to Maria's side to help support her.

Maria looked up and smiled through her pain and panted out, "The baby's coming!"

...

Anthony Edward Stark was born May 29, 1970 at a weight of five pounds and nine ounces and with a length of eleven inches exactly. His screams rang loud in Maria's ears as the nurses bundled her baby in a blue swaddle blanket and knitted cap. The nurse rocked him gently as she walked over and laid him on Maria's chest.

The nurse smiled cheerfully and chimed out, "Congratulations! It's a boy!"

Maria lifted her hand and carefully stroked the rosy cheeks of her _piccola lontra_ , her little otter. Tony quieted and scrunched up his face until he opened his big blue eyes and ever so slowly a breathtaking smile spread across his chubby cheeks. Tony blew a raspberry and let out a gurgling coo. And at that moment Maria didn't even mind that Howard was away on business and and only Jarvis and his wife waited outside for her.

All Maria could do was huff out a laugh and wiped the tears from her eyes as she marveled at this perfect angel that she somehow managed to create.

"My little Anthony. I will always love you. No matter what. I would give you the world, all you have to do is ask."

And the scary thing was... she would burn the whole world to the ground if that was what it took to protect her _tesoro_ , her _piccola lontra_ , her little Tony. And nothing, not even Howard could stop her. No one would hurt her pup while she still breathed.

...

Bambino - Baby Boy

Tesoro - Treasure

Piccola lontra - Little otter


End file.
